As expected, Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III made it official yesterday: he is entering the NFL draft.
This was a no-brainer decision.
Griffin completed a magical season with the Bears. He won the school’s first Heisman Trophy. He led Baylor to a bowl win. He was the talk of the college football world and therefore put Baylor in the headlines frequently.
Griffin’s stock will never be higher. He doesn’t need to polish his skills for one last season at Baylor.
The guy is humble, talented and a class act. He will become successful in the real world whether it’s throwing and running with a football or something else.
Baylor will always love Griffin for all his contributions. College football will miss him. It will be strange not to see him running around in that green and gold helmet.
It will be interesting to see how Griffin fares on Sundays. Traditionally, Heisman Trophy winners don’t make good NFL players. But in Griffin’s case, with talent, ability and the right fit, he has a chance to develop into an outstanding NFL player.
Showing posts with label Heisman Trophy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Heisman Trophy. Show all posts
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Thursday, December 15, 2011
I'm Back
Sorry about the lack of posts lately. I had been dealing with a nasty since infection and pounding headache, but thankfully I seem on the mend now.
There was quite a bite of college football news this last week. I will mention just three.
Congratulations to Baylor’s Robert Griffin III (RG3) for winning the Heisman Trophy. What an outstanding young man representing Baylor and the college football world. When we get down about all the negative aspects and problems in college football, we need to remember the good stuff such as positive roles models like RG3.
Why did Charlie Weiss become the coach at Kansas? I can see the Jayhawk’s point. Kansas went for name recognition and putting people in the seats. But Weiss left a high profile offensive coordinator job at Florida for Lawrence, Kansas. Is it a promotion? Does Charlie really want to become a head coach again (see Notre Dame) that badly? I think Weiss fits better in the NFL than the NCAA.
Todd Graham left Pittsburgh after only one season for Arizona State. He has also left Rice after one season besides coaching at Tulsa. This guy has a history of short stints and if I was Arizona State I would keep my list of potential replacements stuck on the telephone. But Graham has been stimulating the economy with moving vans and real estate transactions.
Readers: Anything strike your fancy in the last week or so of the college changes?
There was quite a bite of college football news this last week. I will mention just three.
Congratulations to Baylor’s Robert Griffin III (RG3) for winning the Heisman Trophy. What an outstanding young man representing Baylor and the college football world. When we get down about all the negative aspects and problems in college football, we need to remember the good stuff such as positive roles models like RG3.
Why did Charlie Weiss become the coach at Kansas? I can see the Jayhawk’s point. Kansas went for name recognition and putting people in the seats. But Weiss left a high profile offensive coordinator job at Florida for Lawrence, Kansas. Is it a promotion? Does Charlie really want to become a head coach again (see Notre Dame) that badly? I think Weiss fits better in the NFL than the NCAA.
Todd Graham left Pittsburgh after only one season for Arizona State. He has also left Rice after one season besides coaching at Tulsa. This guy has a history of short stints and if I was Arizona State I would keep my list of potential replacements stuck on the telephone. But Graham has been stimulating the economy with moving vans and real estate transactions.
Readers: Anything strike your fancy in the last week or so of the college changes?
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Ready for College Football
The regular season cannot start soon enough for this college football fan. The reason is plain and simple: I’m tried of discussing all the challenges in the college football world and I want to focus on some actual games.
It seems like three years since Auburn was crowned 2010 champions. There has been so much negative off field stuff going on that puts a black mark on the game.
The following are only a few examples of the mess in college football.
Auburn’s association with quarterback Cam Newton doesn’t go away. Auburn claims it did nothing wrong with Newton’s recruitment. If this is true, how come people are still talking about whether Newton will lose his Heisman Trophy and/or Auburn will have to give back its national championship trophy?
Jim Tressel lost his coaching job at Ohio State for withholding information about the now famous tattoo incident. Tressel said that he didn’t have the information and then admitted later that he did. The NCAA is still not finished with Ohio State over this incident.
Recruiting services have been cited for having questionable dealings with some schools. Did these services created an unfair advantage for the involved universities?
Texas A&M’s flirting with the Southeastern Conference has been well documented here. The final chapter hasn’t been obviously written, but you get the sense the hard feelings with its present league (the Big 12) will continue regardless of what happens.
Do you now know why I am ready for some real football?
It seems like three years since Auburn was crowned 2010 champions. There has been so much negative off field stuff going on that puts a black mark on the game.
The following are only a few examples of the mess in college football.
Auburn’s association with quarterback Cam Newton doesn’t go away. Auburn claims it did nothing wrong with Newton’s recruitment. If this is true, how come people are still talking about whether Newton will lose his Heisman Trophy and/or Auburn will have to give back its national championship trophy?
Jim Tressel lost his coaching job at Ohio State for withholding information about the now famous tattoo incident. Tressel said that he didn’t have the information and then admitted later that he did. The NCAA is still not finished with Ohio State over this incident.
Recruiting services have been cited for having questionable dealings with some schools. Did these services created an unfair advantage for the involved universities?
Texas A&M’s flirting with the Southeastern Conference has been well documented here. The final chapter hasn’t been obviously written, but you get the sense the hard feelings with its present league (the Big 12) will continue regardless of what happens.
Do you now know why I am ready for some real football?
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Don't Cost Your Team the Game
With spring football either coming to a close at many institutions or happening in the near future, it’s time to consider the 2011 season.
One interesting new rule on the horizon will change the way players celebrate.
In the past, you have seen a running back or wide receiver break out a long gain that results in a touchdown. I guess defensive players can do this too.
Often these players would do there own little celebration before going into the end zone. They would dance; strike the Heisman Trophy pose, etc. The player would still get credit for the touchdown and the penalty would either be charged on the extra point-try or the kickoff.
Now if it happens in the field of play, it’s a foul at the point of the infraction and the offending team receives a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty and no touchdown.
This could cost a team the game. Your team might need a touchdown to win the game and as the player makes this play, the game-clock runs out. Sorry, folks, game over.
Another interesting twist to this rule says that an official can flag someone else besides the ball carrier for the unsportsmanlike conduct. Say, an offensive lineman gets excited at about the 50-yardline and starting a taunting motion. By rule, then official can flag this at the 50 and the ball returns to the 35 with no touchdown.
I think this is a good new rule. These individual celebrations are hurting the spirit of college football. Go ahead and celebrate with your teammates, but leave the dancing to that TV show.
Now, if a player breaks out in a dance, the coach and the fans may not appreciate self-expression because it may provide a dire result.
One interesting new rule on the horizon will change the way players celebrate.
In the past, you have seen a running back or wide receiver break out a long gain that results in a touchdown. I guess defensive players can do this too.
Often these players would do there own little celebration before going into the end zone. They would dance; strike the Heisman Trophy pose, etc. The player would still get credit for the touchdown and the penalty would either be charged on the extra point-try or the kickoff.
Now if it happens in the field of play, it’s a foul at the point of the infraction and the offending team receives a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty and no touchdown.
This could cost a team the game. Your team might need a touchdown to win the game and as the player makes this play, the game-clock runs out. Sorry, folks, game over.
Another interesting twist to this rule says that an official can flag someone else besides the ball carrier for the unsportsmanlike conduct. Say, an offensive lineman gets excited at about the 50-yardline and starting a taunting motion. By rule, then official can flag this at the 50 and the ball returns to the 35 with no touchdown.
I think this is a good new rule. These individual celebrations are hurting the spirit of college football. Go ahead and celebrate with your teammates, but leave the dancing to that TV show.
Now, if a player breaks out in a dance, the coach and the fans may not appreciate self-expression because it may provide a dire result.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
More Heisman Trophy Talk
The Heisman Trophy brass made the proper decision when it announced that the 2005 award would remain vacant after Reggie Bush decided to give the trophy back.
There was some talk that runner-up Vince Young should garner the award. Well, Young finished a distant second that year, so why should he be elevated to the top spot? Anyone who wins the Heisman should earn it plain-and-simple. It's okay to have one year without an actual winner. It won't tarnish the luster of the award.
The NCAA could take a lesson from the Heisman folks. Whenever the NCAA finds someone cheating and takes away a conference championship and something higher, they will also make the school forfeit the games won. That seems pretty meaningless. Joe's College finished that year 5-6 and now it can claim a 6-6 record. But the problem is nobody cares or probably remembers. And frankly, Joe's College probably doesn't care either. So, NCAA take some advice from the Heisman folks and just move on.
Hopefully, all this 2005 Heisman talk can return to the past. There is a college football season happening and some players want to become the talk of the 2010 Heisman Trophy.
There was some talk that runner-up Vince Young should garner the award. Well, Young finished a distant second that year, so why should he be elevated to the top spot? Anyone who wins the Heisman should earn it plain-and-simple. It's okay to have one year without an actual winner. It won't tarnish the luster of the award.
The NCAA could take a lesson from the Heisman folks. Whenever the NCAA finds someone cheating and takes away a conference championship and something higher, they will also make the school forfeit the games won. That seems pretty meaningless. Joe's College finished that year 5-6 and now it can claim a 6-6 record. But the problem is nobody cares or probably remembers. And frankly, Joe's College probably doesn't care either. So, NCAA take some advice from the Heisman folks and just move on.
Hopefully, all this 2005 Heisman talk can return to the past. There is a college football season happening and some players want to become the talk of the 2010 Heisman Trophy.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Reggie Bush Decision Offers Part Closure
Reggie Bush said yesterday he is returning the 2005 Heisman Trophy.
His declaration put to rest the status of Heisman rumors that were circulating for weeks. Many were wondering if the Heisman folks would pull the award away from Bush.
So whether he was encourage to surrender the award or did it out of his own will, Bush made the right choice.
The Heisman Trophy has always been about more than great football accomplishment. Character counts too. Bush did not display good character. So, now the Heisman folks can move on and decide whether to give it to runner-up Vince Young or leave the award vacant for 2005.
Bush can move on too. He has accepted the consequences of his bad actions while playing for USC. He cannot erase the actions, but maybe his conscience is a bit clearer these days.
People want to still blame Bush for the USC troubles. I am not saying that he wasn't a major player in the mess, but where was the athletic administration and coaching staff? I think Bush was a definite symptom at USC, but not the disease.
Some people also believe Bush is not paying for his sins at USC. This is not the case. He gave back the highest individual prize in college football and will probably continue some lingering guilt for his mistakes.
What do you think about Bush giving back the Heisman?
His declaration put to rest the status of Heisman rumors that were circulating for weeks. Many were wondering if the Heisman folks would pull the award away from Bush.
So whether he was encourage to surrender the award or did it out of his own will, Bush made the right choice.
The Heisman Trophy has always been about more than great football accomplishment. Character counts too. Bush did not display good character. So, now the Heisman folks can move on and decide whether to give it to runner-up Vince Young or leave the award vacant for 2005.
Bush can move on too. He has accepted the consequences of his bad actions while playing for USC. He cannot erase the actions, but maybe his conscience is a bit clearer these days.
People want to still blame Bush for the USC troubles. I am not saying that he wasn't a major player in the mess, but where was the athletic administration and coaching staff? I think Bush was a definite symptom at USC, but not the disease.
Some people also believe Bush is not paying for his sins at USC. This is not the case. He gave back the highest individual prize in college football and will probably continue some lingering guilt for his mistakes.
What do you think about Bush giving back the Heisman?
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